Minnesota · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Houston County, MN

Prices around Houston County, MN run 8.2% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $79,825 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,166 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $46,640 a year.

Houston County, MN at a glance

Median household income

$79,825$6,652 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,166HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)91.8-8.2% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity17.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential MN
Population18,653Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Houston County, MN?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,166Monthly market rent
Share of gross income17.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$46,640To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,996At 30% of $79,825
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Houston County, MN? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Houston County, MN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$804$9,648$32,16012.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$889$10,668$35,56013.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,166$13,992$46,64017.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,515$18,180$60,60022.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,903$22,836$76,12028.6%

Rent in Houston County, MN, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Houston County, MN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $79,825 a year ($6,652 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,326/moRent ($1,166 2-BR), utilities (~$158/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,996/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,330/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $79,825 leaves after Minnesota taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Minnesota tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$79,825
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$79,825
Net 77%
Fed 11%
MN 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,082After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,090Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,349Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate23.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,732 / yr
Minnesota state income tax$3,905 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,107 / yr

Living in Houston County, MN: common questions

What is the median household income in Houston County, MN?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Houston County, MN is $79,825 per year (approximately $6,652 per month).

What is the average rent in Houston County, MN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $804 for a studio, $889 for one bedroom, $1,166 for two, $1,515 for three and $1,903 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Houston County, MN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 8.2% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 91.8, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Houston County, MN?

To keep a $1,166 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $46,640 a year, or $3,887 a month. That is 58% of what the typical household in Houston County, MN earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Houston County, MN?

On the local median income of $79,825 ($6,652 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,326 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,996 for everything else and $1,330 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,166 takes 35% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Houston County, MN?

Homes in Minnesota paid 17.5¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $158. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.